Jumbo Kingdom by Antony Huen

Photo by Chi (in Oz) on Flickr

Jumbo Kingdom
BY ANTONY HUEN

14 AUGUST, 2023


The set for a Macau scene in a Bond film,
the backdrop for Godzilla’s invasion,
the survivor of a large fire but now
it’s gone like a polar iceberg.
On YouTube, large fish tanks, staircases
like the one Rose strolled down, photos of
Elizabeth Taylor… but I only remember
Stephen Chow in the ornate restaurant,
the hand emitting qi to heat up the clay pot.
A bowl of steamed rice with char siu on top,
now a popular dish in char chaan tengs.
On a barge moored on the Regent’s Canal,
I’d order jasmine tea and egg tarts, and
rice rolls for Philip and bao for Lizzie.

Antony Huen

is an academic and writer from Hong Kong. His poems have appeared in Dark Horse, Poetry Wales, PN Review and elsewhere. He was shortlisted for the inaugural Poetry London pamphlet prize.

THE OXONIAN REVIEW